PLATE TECTONICS
Concept of Plate Tectonic Theory
• The concept of plate Tectonic Theory was
formulated by the American Scientists Hess and
Dietz in 1960.
• According to this theory, Earth has a rigid outer
layer, known as the lithosphere, which is typically
about 100 km (60 miles) thick and overlies a plastic
(partially molten) layer called the Asthenosphere.
• The lithosphere is broken up into large segments
or blocks known as Lithospheric Plates.
• These plates move relative to each other, typically at
rates of 5 to 10 cm (2 to 4 inches) per year, and
interact along their boundaries, where they converge,
diverge, or slip past one another.
• Such interactions are thought to be responsible for
most of Earth’s seismic and volcanic activity.
• Plate motions cause mountains to rise where plates
push together, or converge, and continents to fracture
and oceans to form where plates pull apart, or
diverge.
• There are seven major plates :
North American Plate
South American Plate
Eurasian Plate
Antarctic Plate
Pacific Plate
African Plate and
Indo Australian Plate
Principles Of Plate Tectonics Theory
• This theory states that the crust of the earth is
broken up in to plates that floats on the top of
liquid layer called mantle.
• This process is driven by convection currents
with in the mantle.
• Convection currents are formed by hot
magma near the core rising towards the
surface, while cooler magma near the crust
sinks, setting up a current that causes the
plates to move.
Plate Boundaries
Plate boundaries are the edges where two plates meet.
Most geologic activities, including volcanoes, earthquakes,
and mountain building, take place at plate boundaries.
TYPES:
• Divergent plate boundaries: the two plates move away
from each other.
• Convergent plate boundaries: the two plates move
towards each other.
• Transform plate boundaries: the two plates slip past each
other.
DIVERGENT PLATE BOUNDARIES(Constructive
Boundaries)
• Divergent plate boundaries are locations where plates
are moving away from one another and a new crust is
formed from magma that rises to the earth surface
between the two plates.
• This occurs above rising convection currents. The rising
current pushes up on the bottom of the lithosphere,
lifting it and flowing laterally beneath it.
• This lateral flow causes the plate material above to be
dragged along in the direction of flow. At the crest of
the uplift, the overlying plate is stretched thin, and
breaks.
• The Mid-Atlantic Ridge and Pacific Ring of
Fire are two examples of divergent plate
boundaries.
• Features: As plate pulls apart several things
may occur. Volcanic activity is common in
these area.
• Volcnoes, volcanic Islands and Rift valleys are
signs of DPB.
CONVERGENT PLATE BOUNDARIES (Destructive
Boundaries)
• Convergent plate boundaries are locations
where lithospheric plates are moving towards
one another. The plate collisions that occur in
these areas can produce earthquakes, volcanic
activity, and crustal deformation.
• There can be three type of situations:
(i) Ocean Ocean Convergence
(ii) Ocean Continent convergence
(iii)Continent Continent Convergence
• In such cases the more dense plate will
normally be deflected beneath the less
dense one and will be destroyed and
absorbed at depth.(Destructive Boundaries).
(i) Ocean Ocean Convergence
• When a convergent boundary occurs between
two oceanic plates, one of those plates will
subduct beneath the other.
• Normally the older plate will subduct because
of its higher density.
(ii) Ocean Continent Convergence
When continental and oceanic plates collide,
the thinner and more dense oceanic plate is
overridden by the thicker and less dense
continental plate. The oceanic plate is forced
down into the mantle in a process known as
"subduction."
(iii)Continent Continent Convergence
• Here two continental plates move towards each
other. Initially there exists an ocean floor in
between the two continents.
• When the two continents coming closer ocean
basin get reduced in width and subducted under
continent.
• Continued subduction and narrowing of ocean
floor brings the continent in collision.
• Ocean basin get disappeared and the sediments
in it squeezed in to complicated folds and results
in formation of mountains.
• Ex: Himalayan Mountains formed by the
collision of Indian and Eurasian plate. Tethys
sea disappeared and Himalayas came in to
existence
TRANSFORM PLATE BOUNDARIES (Conservative
boundary)
• Two plates sliding past each other forms a transform
plate boundary resulting in the formation of
Transform faults.
• One of the most famous transform plate boundaries
occurs at the San Andreas fault zone, which
extends underwater.
• Earthquakes are common along these boundaries